Zojilla Pass The Srinagar-Leh National Highway 1D will open for vehicular Traffic in the last week of April which is one month late than last year. VIJAYAK is clearing 30 feet or more of snow accumulated by wind or avalanches. Project VIJAYAK of Border Roads Organization has reached at Machoyi, 26 km from Drass and 3 Km before Gumri.Col P. Kumar CO VIJAYAK told that his team has started the snow clearance work on 10th of March but heavy snowfall after...

For previous story: Pin Valley Revisited It was the day, I was about to finish my Solo ride to Spiti after long 40 days. I dindn’t went to Chandertal in my last visit to Spiti coz I always wanted to do that on my Beloved Darling. I met Vaibhav at Kaza and we decided to ride together for the day as He was on the way to Ladakh. I was looking to get back to home with my bullet.It was a early start and left the hotel around 6:30 am so that we could...

Predicting heavy snowfall, the district administration of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh today announced that vehicles will not be allowed on Rohtang Pass after November 15. Rohtang Pass is the gateway to Keylong in the landlocked Lahaul Valley from Manali in the state’s Kullu district. It remains off-limits from the rest of the country for over five months due to heavy snow deposits on the road. “From November 15 onwards, we will...

Finally I was on the way to step foot at the oldest democracy of the world, Malana. It is popular across the world for obvious reasons but not many people know that Malana is arguably the oldest democracy of the world. One of the highest peaks of the state, Deo-Tibba, shadow this village.Even today this village lives in isolation because of its customs and rituals. However, one can find hundreds of foreigners roaming around in the village for ‘obvious...

Manali-Leh road was thrown open to vehicular traffic today. About 530 km Manali-Leh highway remained off due to snow from Nov 11, 2013 onwards, BRO commending officer Anthony Selva Kumar informed. Earlier BRO had laid target to open this road by May 15,2013 but due to inclement weather and fresh snowfall on the Barlacha and Tanglangla passes, road took more time to open for vehicular traffic. The highway was cleared by BRO at Rohtang Pass between...

Hold the obituary. Experts now think Comet ISON — or at least part of it — survived its close encounter with the sun.

Karl Battams, a comet scientist for the Naval Research Laboratory, said it is believed some parts of ISON’s nucleus survived perihelion.

“It now looks like some chunk of ISON’s nucleus has indeed made it through the solar corona, and re-emerged,” he said. “It’s throwing off dust and (probably) gas, but we don’t know how long it can sustain that.”

However, he said, its fate is uncertain.

“Now it has emerged and started to brighten, we need to observe it for a few days to get a feel for its behavior,” Battams said.

ISON swept about 730,000 miles over the sun’s surface Thursday about 2 p.m. ET.

Comets are giant snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that can be several miles in diameter. When they get near the sun, they warm up and spew some of the gas and dirt, creating tails that can stretch for thousands of miles.

Most comets are in the outer part of our solar system. When they get close enough for us to see, scientists study them for clues about how our solar system formed.

Astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok discovered ISON last year using a telescope near Kislovodsk, Russia.

The movie spans a day and a half period from Nov. 27th (01:41 UT) to 28th (15:22 UT). We see that Comet ISON brightened dramatically on Nov. 27th before fading on Nov. 28th. That brightening might have been a disintegration event, in which the comet cracked open and spilled its vaporizing contents into space.

ISON — officially named C/2012 S1 — was 585 million miles away at the time. Its amazing journey through the solar system had been chronicled by amateur astronomers and by space telescopes.

“From the beginning, ISON has confused, surprised and amazed us, and in hindsight its latest little escapade really should not shock us,” Battams said. “Nonetheless, this has been one of the most extraordinary comets we have ever encountered, and just goes to reiterate how beautiful, dynamic and exciting our universe is.”

Observers have been watching the comet for more than a year, hoping it would survive its sunbath and emerge to put on a sky show, visible to the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere.

Earlier Thursday, NASA scientists had pretty much declared ISON dead at the end of a Google Hangout to watch the comet swing by the sun. But professional and amateur astronomers were undeterred by the reports and kept analyzing NASA satellites. They found images that clearly show something emerging from the sun.

“What we see here is the dust tail emerging first, pointing away from the sun,” said Padma Yanamandra-Fisher with the Space Science Institute and a member of the ISON Observing Campaign.

A video made by observing campaign member John Maclean shows the comet slicing toward the sun and then something — apparently ISON — emerging from the other side. Maclean is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society at Norman Lockyer Observatory Sidmouth in Devon, England.

The discovery stunned many in the comet-watching community and led some to nickname ISON the zombie comet.

Others repeated an old joke about comets and cats.

“Comets are like cats; they have tails, and they do precisely what they want,” David H. Levy said.

This comet also seems to have something else in common with cats — nine lives.

The Orionid meteor shower will be at peak this weekend (October 20,21, 2012). The Orionids were created from the famous Halley’s Comet, and should deliver a very impressive show this year according to experts. One can expect to see 30 meteor per min.

This precision-crafed T-mount Adapter allows any T-mount (screw mount) lens to be attached to any Nikon AF mount SLR camera.

This 2x teleconverter attaches to any T-mount (screw mount) lens, and effectively doubles the focal length of that lens, allowing the photographer to get much closer to the action. This simple, yet high-grade adapter provides excellent optical quality.

This multi-compartment case will easily hold your camera, lenses, and accessories. Features four padded dividers in the main compartment to secure your equipment, and includes numerous zippered and mesh pockets for smaller items.

Finally Nikon putting up new camera releases with significant pixel count, a replacement for Nikon D3100 launching a new Nikon D3200 with 24.2 MP, and latest EXPEED 3 image processor, with a DX 23.2 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor. Here is the new release by Nikon. the product will b in market soon for sales.

April 19, 2012A DX-format CMOS image sensor with an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels, the EXPEED 3 image-processing engine, the Guide Mode function, and support for smart device collaboration, making full-scale photography and sharing of photos more fun

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D3200, a Nikon DX-format digital SLR camera. The camera is equipped with a new CMOS image sensor with an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels, the same EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into Nikon’s high-end models, and Guide mode, all of which enable capture of beautiful, high-quality images with simple operation.

The D3200 is the successor to the D3100 and is equipped with Guide mode, which supports simple and intuitive operation. Last year, the superior usability of the D3100 was recognized not only by the camera’s extreme popularity, but also when the camera was awarded the iF Communication Design Award 2011, one of the iF Design Awards. The iF Design Awards are globally prestigious awards sponsored by International Forum Design GmbH of Hanover Germany.

The D3200 not only offers an improved Guide mode for even simpler operation, but also a number of new and improved functions. In addition, the new DX-format CMOS image sensor, developed by Nikon with an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels, and the same EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into Nikon’s high-end D4 and D800/D800E cameras enable capture of images with quality and definition at the top of its class. The D3200 also supports collaboration with smart devices (Android), with use of Wireless Mobile Adapter WU-1a increasing user convenience even further with the ability to transfer images and control shooting remotely over a wireless connection.

The extremely portable, compact and lightweight body of the entry-level D3200 is loaded with the latest digital SLR camera functions, allowing for full-scale, flexible photography. Users will enjoy its simple operation with the capture of beautiful images exhibiting superior image quality that they will be eager to share with others.

D3200 Primary Features:-

1. A new DX-format CMOS image sensor, developed by Nikon with an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels, and the EXPEED 3 image-processing engine enable capture of high-quality images and shooting at high sensitivities

The D3200 is equipped with a new Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor, developed by Nikon with an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels, and the EXPEED 3 image-processing engine. Its predecessor, the D3100, offered a pixel count of 14.2-million pixels and standard ISO sensitivities of ISO 100–3200. The D3200 surpasses the D3100 with regard to both with its significant increase in pixel count and support for standard sensitivities of ISO 100–6400 and a Hi 1 setting equivalent to ISO 12800.

In order to maximize the potential of the image sensor’s 24.2-million pixels, the camera is equipped with the EXPEED 3 image-processing engine, which was developed exclusively by Nikon and represents the culmination of the extensive image-processing know how and technologies that Nikon has cultivated over its long history. This image-processing engine has been optimized for digital SLR cameras, and its capabilities for superior high-speed performance enable faithful rendering, vivid color reproduction, and expression of a broad dynamic range. For example, it effectively suppresses noise with advanced noise-reduction processing for still images captured at high sensitivities under dim lighting, all while preserving the definition and sharpness of the image sensor’s 24.2-million pixels. Special noise-reduction processing designed especially for movies maintains crisp, clear outlines in movies recorded in low-light situations.

2. A refined Guide mode that is even easier to use

The D3200 is equipped with the Guide mode that was so popular with the D3000 and D3100. Guide mode displays instructions for shooting according to the situation or type of scene or subject, playing back and retouching images, as well as applying all types of settings in a manner that is more intuitive, making camera operation easier than ever before.

More assist images and text explanations of scenes added
The number of assist images, also built into the D3100, used to show the results users can expect from camera settings prior to shooting has been increased, and text explanations of scene details and application of settings have been added. Guide mode makes it fun and easy for users to capture the beautiful images they want, whether they choose a specific type of situation, such as Night portrait or Close-ups, or a technique they would like to apply, such as Soften backgrounds or Show water flowing.

Example of assist image and text explanation

New options added to Advanced operation

Advanced operation is one of the first choices available to users when Guide mode is activated. New options, including Capture reds in sunsets, with which the camera adjusts white balance, Take bright photos and Take dark (low key) photos, with which the camera adjusts exposure, and Reduce blur, with which auto ISO sensitivity control is used, have been added to Advanced operation with the D3200. These new options not only expand the range of scenes and situations with which users can effectively capture beautiful photos, but also provide a means for users to become accustomed to various camera functions and the results they achieve at their own pace.

The D3200 is equipped with a live view button. By simply pressing this button, live view mode is activated.
In live view mode, users can choose one of four AF-area modes: Normal-area AF, Wide-area AF, Subject-tracking AF, or Face-priority AF.

4. Equipped with the D-Movie function that enables recording of 1920 x 1080/30p full HD movies with superior picture quality

By simply pressing the movie-record button just above the shutter-release button, users can enjoy the D-Movie function that records full-HD movies with superior picture quality. Settings such as aperture value applied in Guide mode can also be applied to movie recording, and the ability to take advantage of the unique characteristics of each lens in the rich NIKKOR lineup, from wide-angle to telephoto lenses enable movie imaging expression that is only possible with digital SLR cameras.

The D3200 also offers Full-time-servo AF (AF-F), a focus mode with which the camera focuses continuously to keep moving subjects in focus with movie recording. It also offers Face-priority AF and Subject-tracking AF AF-area modes with movie recording. Face-priority AF is effective with recording of portrait-like movies, and Subject-tracking AF tracks a subject as it moves through the frame.

What’s more, recorded movies can not only be viewed in the camera monitor, but they can also be edited using the camera. Unnecessary portions can be cut from the beginning and/or end of movie files, and individual movie frames can be saved as still JPEG images. With the D3200, movie editing operation has been improved. The Start point and End point options for movie editing are displayed on the same menu screen, enabling simultaneous trimming of unnecessary portions at the beginning and end of movies, and the results of editing can be previewed before the edited movie is saved. These improvements make editing simpler by giving users a better idea of the results they can expect. In addition, the D3200 also supports connection of an external stereo microphone, which enables recording of stereo sound with movies.

5. Support for collaboration with smart devices (Android) for wireless transfer and remote shooting

With use of the Wireless Mobile Adapter WU-1a, Images captured with the D3200 can be transferred to smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices over a wireless connection, and smart devices can be used as a remote control for shooting with the view through the lens mounted on the camera and various shooting and settings information (live view display) displayed in the smart device screen (remote recording of movies is not supported). Collaboration between digital SLR cameras and smart devices provides new ways for users to enjoy shooting, viewing, and sharing photographs.

*Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
*Products , brand names and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.The information is current as of the date of publication. It is subject to change without notice.

Getting best pictures are always co-related with the opportunity to click it and clicking a Dragonfly needs the lot of patience and devotion.

Black Dragon Fly

Equipments:

Equally important are the equipments needed to shoot perfect and elegant images. Macro lens, a long telephoto zoom lens is very essential while getting a picture of Dragonflies, other insects and small creatures/things.

Macro View of Fly

Optimal Camera Settings:

Depth of field is very important while clicking and it should not be less than F8 value to get a good sharp picture of fly.
A good tripod is also very essential for getting sharp pictures.

Red Fly

Getting a perfect exposure is also as equally important so one should adjust accordingly or should click in RAW so that can be managed later on while post processing the picture. Shutter speed around 1/200 sec or higher is quite good to get sharp images.

ISO should be adjusted accordingly with respect to the amount of light, Luckily most of them are most active during afternoon time so one can click the picture with good shutter speed and low ISO.

Red Dragonfly

Metering should be Spot metering, Single point focus and manual focus should be prefered.

Pink Dragonfly

Composing a picture is equally important. Getting close to the subject can sometimes surprise you with the results, so trying different compositions are always worth. One should not be afraid of getting closer and filling the frame.

Dragonfly

Last but not the least, studying about the behaviour of the subject is always important so that one can judge the
movements of the subject and plan shots accordingly.

Tip:- Dragonfly will always sit back on same position from where it took off.